Fleet pan to provide measurement and location of a stored transport item while maximizing space in an interior cavity of a trailer

• US 9,551,788 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2015
• Issued: 01/24/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Spireon Incorporated (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Spireon Incorporated (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Epler, Jim
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US14/666,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20160282466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 11/0258 for navigation systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0036 Luggage compartment
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2011/0294 Apparatus with multi-functionalities, e.g. radio and telephone
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 53/06 Semi-trailers
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/86 Combinations of sonar systems with lidar systems; Combinations of sonar systems with systems not using wave reflection
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 15/88 Sonar systems specially adapted for specific applications seismic or acoustic prospecting or detecting G01V1/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/14 specially adapted for specific applications
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/35 Constructional details or hardware or software details of the signal processing chain
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/003 Transmission of data between radar, sonar or lidar systems and remote stations

Abstract

A trailer of a semi-trailer truck includes a cargo container having affixed at a height of approximately forty-six inches from a base of the cargo container a hole that is approximately two and one half inches in diameter. A fleet pan enclosure in a form of a housing encompassing a communications circuitry, a global positioning device and an ultrasound sensor projects into an interior cavity of the cargo container through the hole. The global positioning device provides an accurate reporting of a location of the semi-trailer truck to a central server. An antenna of a communication circuitry is fully encompassed within the housing. The location at which the housing is affixed provides for an effective measuring and reliable locating of a stored transport item inside the interior cavity of the cargo container through the hole.

Claims

1. A trailer of a semi-trailer truck, comprising:

a cargo container having a hole with dimensions approximately two and one half inches in diameter, and the hole being located at a height of approximately forty-six inches from a base of the cargo container; and

a fleet pan enclosure in a form of a housing encompassing a communications circuitry, a global positioning device and an ultrasound sensor to project into an interior cavity of the cargo container through the hole,

wherein the global positioning device to provide an accurate reporting of a location of the semi-trailer truck to a central server,

wherein an antenna of the communications circuitry is fully encompassed within the housing,

wherein the location at which the housing is affixed provides for an effective measuring and reliable locating of a stored transport item inside the interior cavity of the cargo container through the hole,

wherein an emitting face of the ultrasound sensor is tight-sealed to prevent moisture from entering an ultrasound sensor housing with a hydrophobic material, and

wherein a risk of water damage to the ultrasound sensor is minimized through a tight-sealing of the emitting face of the ultrasound sensor.

2. The trailer of the semi-trailer truck of claim 1,

wherein a low-ultrasound-attenuation material is utilized to produce a tight seal of an ultrasound sensor emitting face, and

wherein an ultrasound wave emanating from the ultrasound sensor emitting face is permitted maximal penetration of such that the ultrasound wave is focusable in a manner that the ultrasound wave accurately measures a height of the stored transport item in a storage location of the interior cavity of the trailer to optimize asset planning and managing of the stored transport item.

3. The trailer of the semi-trailer truck of claim 2,

wherein the low-ultrasound-attenuation material is shaped to produce a cast acoustic emitting face with a curvature such that a shape of a wave-front of the ultrasound wave produced by the ultrasound sensor is focused on a desired point, and

wherein an accuracy of the measurement of the height of the stored transport item maximized in the storage location of the interior cavity of the trailer to optimize asset planning and managing of the stored transport item.

4. The trailer of the semi-trailer truck of claim 3,

wherein a current state of a transport item is determined to be at least one of a loaded state, a partially loaded state, and an empty state based on a reading of an ultrasonic sensor, and

wherein a compliance of a driver of a motorized cabin is audited based on a communication between the central server and the communication circuitry within the fleet pan enclosure.

5. The trailer of the semi-trailer truck of claim 3 wherein the fleet pan enclosure is created from a LEXAN polycarbonate offering impact resistance, dimensional stability and signal clarity such that the antenna of the communication circuitry to communicate externally with the central server while still being fully encompassed within the housing.

6. An apparatus, comprising:

a housing encompassing a communication circuitry, a global positioning device and an ultrasound sensor affixed on a vertical face of an exterior front surface of a trailer toward a driver cabin of a semi-trailer truck,

wherein the global positioning device to provide an accurate reporting of a location of the semi-trailer truck to a central server,

wherein an antenna of the communications circuitry is fully encompassed within the housing,

wherein the ultrasound sensor peers inside an interior cavity of the trailer through a hole formed on the vertical face between the housing and the interior cavity,

wherein the location at which the housing is affixed provides for an effective measuring and reliable locating of a stored transport item through the hole,

wherein an emitting face of the ultrasound sensor is tight-sealed to prevent moisture from entering an ultrasound sensor housing with a hydrophobic material, and

wherein a risk of water damage to the ultrasound sensor is minimized through a tight-sealing of the emitting face of the ultrasound sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6,

wherein a low-ultrasound-attenuation material is utilized to produce a tight seal of an ultrasound sensor emitting face;

and

wherein an ultrasound wave emanating from the ultrasound sensor emitting face is permitted maximal penetration of such that the ultrasound wave is focusable in a manner that the ultrasound wave accurately measures a height of the stored transport item in a storage location of the interior cavity of the trailer to optimize asset planning and managing of the stored transport item.

8. The apparatus of claim 7,

wherein the low-ultrasound-attenuation material is shaped to produce a cast acoustic emitting face with a curvature such that a shape of a wave-front of the ultrasound wave produced by the ultrasound sensor is focused on a desired point, and

wherein an accuracy of the measurement of the height of the stored transport item maximized in the storage location of the interior cavity of the trailer to optimize asset planning and managing of the stored transport item.

9. The apparatus claim 8,

wherein a current state of a transport item is determined to be at least one of a loaded state, a partially loaded state, and an empty state based on a reading of an ultrasonic sensor, and

wherein a compliance of a driver of a motorized cabin is audited based on a communication between a base terminal and the communication circuitry within the housing.

10. The apparatus claim 9 wherein a fleet pan enclosure is created from a LEXAN polycarbonate offering impact resistance, dimensional stability and signal clarity such that the antenna of the communication circuitry to communicate externally with the central server while still being fully encompassed within the housing.

11. A cargo container, comprising:

a fleet pan enclosure in a form of a housing encompassing a communications circuitry, a global positioning device and an ultrasound sensor to project into an interior cavity of the cargo container through a hole,

wherein the cargo container having a hole with dimensions approximately two and a half inches in diameter, and the hole being located at a height of approximately forty-six inches from a base of the cargo container,

wherein the global positioning device to provide an accurate reporting of a location of a semi-trailer truck to a central server,

wherein an antenna of the communications circuitry is fully encompassed within the housing,

wherein the location at which the housing is affixed provides for an effective measuring and reliable locating of a stored transport item inside the interior cavity of the cargo container through the hole,

wherein an emitting face of the ultrasound sensor is tight-sealed to prevent moisture from entering an ultrasound sensor housing with a hydrophobic material, and

wherein a risk of water damage to the ultrasound sensor is minimized through a tight-sealing of the emitting face of the ultrasound sensor.

12. A cargo container, comprising:

a fleet pan enclosure in a form of a housing encompassing a communications circuitry, a global positioning device and an ultrasound sensor to project into an interior cavity of the cargo container through a hole,

wherein the cargo container having a hole with dimensions approximately two and a half inches in diameter, and the hole being located at a height of approximately forty-six inches from a base of the cargo container,

wherein the global positioning device to provide an accurate reporting of a location of a semi-trailer truck to a central server,

wherein an antenna of the communications circuitry is fully encompassed within the housing,

wherein the location at which the housing is affixed provides for an effective measuring and reliable locating of a stored transport item inside the interior cavity of the cargo container through the hole, and

wherein a low-ultrasound-attenuation material is utilized to produce a tight seal of an ultrasound sensor emitting face.

13. The cargo container of claim 12,

wherein an ultrasound wave emanating from the ultrasound sensor emitting face is permitted maximal penetration of such that the ultrasound wave is focusable in a manner that the ultrasound wave accurately measures a height of the stored transport item in a storage location of the interior cavity of a trailer to optimize asset planning and managing of the stored transport item.

14. The cargo container of claim 13,

wherein a current state of a transport item is determined to be at least one of a loaded state, a partially loaded state, and an empty state based on a reading of an ultrasonic sensor.

15. The cargo container of claim 13,

wherein a compliance of a driver of a motorized cabin is audited based on a communication between the central server and the communication circuitry within the fleet pan enclosure.

16. The cargo container of claim 13,

wherein the fleet pan enclosure is created from a LEXAN polycarbonate offering impact resistance, dimensional stability and signal clarity such that the antenna of the communication circuitry to communicate externally with the central server while still being fully encompassed within the housing.

17. The cargo container of claim 12,

wherein the low-ultrasound-attenuation material is shaped to produce a cast acoustic emitting face with a curvature such that a shape of a wave-front of the ultrasound wave produced by the ultrasound sensor is focused on a desired point, and

wherein an accuracy of the measurement of the height of the stored transport item maximized in the storage location of the interior cavity of the trailer to optimize asset planning and managing of the stored transport item.